


Strawberries

by jenlouniverse



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: A Kiss, F/M, Los Angeles, Luke is an overthinker, Moments they have shared, She's nice and patient, and just lots and lots of memories, just fluff, no hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27605957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenlouniverse/pseuds/jenlouniverse
Summary: Twenty-four hours full of memories and lots of realisations until revelation.(It was summer, we were free and Watermelon Sugar was on the radio so this thing came to me)
Relationships: Luke Hemmings/Original Female Character(s)





	Strawberries

She spins a little on the stool she is sitting on, right next to the counter of the kitchen while she looks at the blonde boy in front of her. The patio door is open behind him, letting a little breeze enter the room and move the light white curtains as the sun shines through in the early summer evening.

They just came back from a big day on the other side of the country and were somehow all disconcerted by the sudden silence surrounding them. It was nearly six in the afternoon but Lily definitely feels like it's 11 p.m. already.

The boy in front of her seems just as tired as her, his gaze drifting into the void, thinking about nothing, enjoying the quiet. His arms are crossed on the counter and he jumps a little when he hears a thud coming from another room. His heart relaxes when he realises that he is home and that the sound must have been made by one of his best friends. He sighs and straightens his back, looking at the girl in front of her. They smile at each other and Luke takes a bite in one of the strawberries standing in the bowl in front of him. The girl's smile quickly fades as she looks at him in disgust, making him arch an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?" Luke asks her in a soft voice, almost disappointed to break the silence.

"I just don't understand how you can eat  _ strawberries _ , that's all," and Lily puts her elbows on the counter, hands under the chin.

"Excuse me?" The boy in front of her asks, looking at her as if she’s just said the most horrifying thing ever.

"Strawberries," she says pointing at the bowl. "It's disgusting."

In front of her, it seems Luke was too shocked to even respond to what she had said so he simply huffs and rolls his eyes instead, before taking another red fruit into his mouth. He lets out a sound to let her know that he is enjoying this. She can't believe the boy. She wanted to roll her eyes too but smile at the same time and her tiredness just makes her let her head rest on her forearms, hiding her smile away and letting the silence surround her once again. 

A silence that was broken way too soon to her liking.

"That's because you've never really eaten strawberries."

"Of course I have, dummy I wouldn't say it's disgusting either way." She states matter-of-factly.

"No, I mean, if you don't like it, it's just because you've never really  _ tasted  _ strawberries before," and the boy comes near her, the bowl full of that awful fruit in his right hand.

"You’re not making any sense Luke and right now I’m just too tired to understand," Lily says eyeing the grey bowl first and the tall boy in front of her then.

"I want to try something and then you'll tell me if you still find  _ the _ most amazing and beautiful fruit of the planet disgusting." He says, air quoting the last word.

She simply huffs and smiles. She is exhausted and Luke is speaking in riddles. She just didn't have the time for this. 

As nice as it was to be back to a peaceful place, the windy air entering the kitchen and the birds being the only silence-breaking sound, all the brown-haired girl wanted to do was lie down in her bed and forget about everything. 

Before she can picture herself slipping into more comfortable clothes though, her sight is blinded and everything goes dark.

"What the-" she starts, before her hands reach her eyes and her fingertips come into touch with the fabric of some sort of towel.

"I want to try something." She hears Luke's voice from behind her.

"Luke what are you-" 

She then feels hands taking hers and she shivers at the cool sensation of the boy's rings on her skin.

"See this as a new way of eating food." She almost can hear him smile. "I can't believe you just said strawberries were disgusting." He adds a little lower.

She has been blind for a few seconds only but her other senses already started to accentuate as she believes that her friend moves a stool to sit closer to her. 

She sighs, a little annoyed by the situation, but definitely too tired to care. She was used to Luke’s little experiments at this time and sudden bursts of ideas. He always has so much on his mind.

"Ok, so first," she hears his chain bracelets clinging onto the counter to her left. "You need to smell the food."

She huffs again.

"Luke this is so stupid. Who even smells their food before eating them?" She is laughing, definitely mocking him.

"I'm sorry but hearing you say that strawberries were disgusting is stupider. So, trust me and I'll make you see that strawberries are the best fruit in the universe."

"Don't you think you're a little exaggerating all of this?"

"No." he simply states.

"Can I do anything to change your mind?"

"No." She knew it was a dead end the second she asked the question. 

The brown-eyed girl holds her hands up in surrender and puts her two hands, one on top of the other, on the stool in the space between her legs.

Soon after, she feels the roundy fruit coming close and lightly rest on the space between her nose and her upper lips. 

She inhales, not too deeply, but almost coughs as the smell seems to enter her throat and nose at the same time.

With her right hand she reaches the fabric that blindfolds her eyes. "I'm sorry Lu-" She is cut by a hand grabbing her wrist, stopping her from removing the towel. She hates not to be able to see what is happening around her but she can't deny the way her other senses are so intensified. 

The touch of the hand on her wrist, after the slight surprise, sends unexpected shivers on her arm.

“Can you, at least, try? Please.” She can’t help but notice the way her friend’s voice went a little lower this time. The, again, unexpected tone in Luke’s voice sends some kind of signal to her tired mind, and her wrist is freed from his grasp as she feels the fruit coming down a little, resting on her lips. She can feel the seeds of the fruit on both her upper and lower lip and for a moment she forgets that a  _ strawberry _ is so close to her mouth. 

She has always found them disgusting from as long as she can remember. Most of the time the simple sight of them in the market was enough to make her cringe. 

But in a way, the fact that she can't see  _ it _ is enough to make her forget that she has a strawberry this close to her mouth. 

The fruit turns and the pointy end of it is slowly going into her now parted lips before she hears Luke murmurs "Now take just a little bite". Slowly, she opens her mouth and her teeth bite into the fruit, sending juice all around the inside of her mouth. "Before you swallow it, you need to feel the texture of it, roll it with your tongue and feel the sweetness of the sugar just on the tip of the tongue." Luke explains, his voice still as low as it can be.

She does as she is told and she, indeed, feels the sugar on the tip of her tongue more than anywhere else in the inside of her mouth. She then swallows the piece, almost all liquid, appreciating the taste in her mouth. She can't deny that it is better than she’s expected, far away from the childhood memory she had that made her hate the fruit.

The fabric on her eyes is removed and she hesitates before opening her eyes, letting her closed ones being used to the light. 

When she opens them, Luke is standing tall in front of her with a big goofy smile on his face, definitely proud of what he has just achieved. But there is a look in his eyes she has never seen before, something deeper than just a 'I told you so'. 

This strange look stops her from talking and Luke eats the end of the strawberry that has touched her lips. 

He then puts his right thumb on her red lips. 

He feels her freeze into the touch but in this moment he has only one thought: he wants to kiss those pink-strawberry-juiced lips. He always knew he felt something different for this girl and in the quiet of the end of the day he is now certain of it. 

Every time he felt so tired he always compares it to being drunk; feeling very similar emotions and dizzy feelings in both. He would never have done this if he hadn’t been so tired. 

His thumb gently caresses her bottom pink lip while the rest of his hand rests between her cheek and jaw. He sees her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something but no sound came out of her mouth.

He looks at her lips for a while, biting his own when he almost imagines their lips crashing into one another. It feels like he is in a dream. The most beautiful one where he can finally be close to the girl. 

When he comes back to reality, he can feel her breath on his chin and he looks into her eyes.

Lily nods at whichever muted question the blonde boy seemed to have asked her, too overwhelmed by the sensation of his thumb on her lips and the look in his eyes to answer with her own voice. This strange look she has never seen before. 

The boy comes closer, his thumb resting on her bottom lip as if he won't be able to find them if he removed it. The thumb reaches the right corner of her lips and his second hand grabs the other cheek, cupping her face into the cold of his ringed fingers. One last look into her eyes and he closes his before ghosting his lips onto hers. She grabs the hem of his shirt, needing something to touch to know this was real. They breathe each other in and out, almost out-of-breath from the anticipation until the boy touches her lips with his. 

There is no way any of them could be able to describe what they were feeling.

The boy, intoxicated by the strawberry flavour, can not help but bit Lily's lower lip making her pull his shirt down a little as a reaction to her surprise and her mouth opens just enough for Luke to slip his tongue and she almost feels as if a piece of strawberry was in her mouth again before she begins to roll her tongue to taste it.

She doesn't even realise that she is kissing Luke even when she’s dreamt about it the night before.

The strawberry flavour is now her favourite one and she can't get away from it, from  _ him _ . 

Nothing matters anymore for the two of them, neither the breeze nor the birds can stop them. Shivers are felt on both bodies when the boy grabs the girl's neck and when the girl's hands reach the boy's back under his shirt.

When they are forced to stop - so they can breathe again - their eyes remain close, they are breathing each other’s air again, nose touching. Very slowly, sounds around them reach their ears again and they open their eyes a little, just enough to see each other's faces without moving their hands or their bodies. They both lift their heads until their eyes meet and then, slowly, she feels Luke's hands leaving her neck. 

The moment was gone. 

The second she realises this, her cheeks go as red as the strawberries next to them and she can't help but remove her hands from Luke’s back and instantly touch her lips with her fingertips, her eyes still searching through the blue ones in front of her. She isn't sure of what she is looking for in them but she didn't expect them to change suddenly into something she couldn't quite put a finger on, and before she can ask what's wrong, the boy in front of her walks away, stops for a second a hand reaching for his hair, but leaves the room, without looking at her, leaving her a little astounded by his behaviour. 

She could go to bed but the truth is she isn't feeling sleepy anymore. Not after all of this. Not after  _ the _ kiss.

🌟🌟

He loved her. He loved her so much he couldn't resist her beautiful lips. He had been waiting for too long and yet, right now, he regrets what he just did. 

When she touched her lips, her so beautiful lips with her sweet hand, that's when he realised. He shouldn't have done it. 

Actually, it isn't truly a regret, now that he thinks of it because he had been waiting for this kiss to happen for months now. He just isn't sure it was a good idea. 

He had stopped for a minute before leaving her though because he knew he should have said something, maybe a ‘sorry’ but, he didn't want to lie to her. Because he isn't sorry that he kissed her. 

He knows he is being selfish right now, that he was only thinking about things he's been dreaming of for a while now, listening to his pulsions rather than the consequences that may come afterwards. It felt so right in the moment that, no, he can't say he is sorry. 

On top of that, Luke has always had this problem where he has to struggle and think, about the words he should use, over and over again. 

He wants to be careful to not hurt people when he talks but, most of the time, it ends up as him being quiet so there wouldn't be any trouble. 

The only way he can truly express his feelings was through music. As long as he can remember it’s always been this way.

No matter where he is or where he goes, he always has this little notebook to write anything that comes to his mind. Sometimes he would use his phone, simpler, quicker and more handy but his little notebook is always very close to him. 

So no, he didn't hear the video game playing on the TV or his blonde friend asking him if he was ok because he had so much going on in his mind and it was so messed up that he went as fast as he could to his bedroom, took a pen, his notebook with the brown leather and wrote the gibberish thoughts running through his head at the moment.

It's dark outside and everything is quiet all around the house when he finally comes back to his senses. He has scribbled two pages and most probably: _ a new song. _

🌟🌟

Saying that she feels left out was an understatement. 

Lily spent the night laying on her bed, her arms behind her head while her eyes had been staring at the ceiling. She was thinking about  _ it _ , about  _ him _ . She was wondering if the moment they shared - the  _ kiss _ \- meant anything to Luke or if it happened because it felt like it was the right place at the right time. 

To her, it is definitely more than just a one time thing. Now that she’s had the opportunity to have a taste of his lips she is almost certain she wouldn't resist them the next time she sees him.

The insomnia caused by her train of thought leads her to think about all the memories she has with the four boys but, mostly, all the times she has been close to Luke. It didn't happen really often, only four or five times since they've met each other, but it wasn't really easy when the four boys can't spend a day away from each other.

She understands that, of course, and in a way, she is almost jealous. She wishes she could have friends like this with whom she could spend all her time with and still be as close, as gentle and as kind as the boys always are to each other. Even if she is glad to be a part of this friendship, she can't help but cherish all these moments when she and Luke are close. 

It didn't take her too long to realise she had a crush on Luke. 

It just became obvious the day Michael made some kind of cheesy joke which, thank god, Lily had been the only one to hear. After a little punch on his shoulder, Michael had promised her to never tell anybody but she knew she was obvious when the simple fact of Luke saying her name made her cheeks go a little red. She thought it wouldn't last very long but the days and the weeks went by and it seemed like her heart never got used to hearing her name in Luke's voice.

When she arrived in L.A. at the end of June - three months after she had met them for the first time - they all had been there, waiting for her at the airport. She was about to start a new life in a whole new school, in a whole new country. For as long as she can remember she’s always seen herself in the big city. She knew she would study here. The fact that she knew someone who lived there only pushed her further into her dream. 

She didn’t know if she would have survived the first week without her four boys. She liked to call them “her boys” because they had just burst into her life and never left since her first day in Sydney. 

Once at the airport, they drove her to her new place and helped her with her luggage before letting her have some rest and unpack her things without “troublemakers” - Calum’s words - to stop her. They told her they would take her on a trip around the city the next day to show her around, show her all their favourite places before the jet lag could hit her.

She couldn’t stop the smile on her face all the time she was unpacking and, after telling her parents she was ok, she slept her first night in her new place, ready for exciting things to come. 

The day after her house move, as promised, the boys knocked on her door, ready - just like their first meeting in Sydney - to be her guides. 

At the end of the day, all her doubts were out of the window and she knew she did the right thing. She didn’t really have the time to become attached to the city of Sydney. She had only spent three months there and she knew now that she wouldn’t be back there for a while. 

At the end of that second day in the big city, she felt exhausted but the boys wanted to throw a little party for her.

“Nothing much, just the five of us chilling, we just don’t want you to feel alone on your first days.” Luke had said, remembering his own first days in LA, far away from home.

“The jetlag does not help at all.” Michael had added as he had been driving everyone to one of the boys house.

They ended up at Luke’s and as soon as she entered, Lily couldn’t have helped but yawn. The sun was barely setting but she had seen a lot on her first day and she knew the jetlag was starting to hit. But the boys had everything planned as if they had read her mind. In a matter of minutes the living room was in the dark and the huge tv screen was on. As of today she can’t remember the movie they’ve watched - or the tv show -, she just remembers the feeling of it all. Shefelt  _ welcome _ and safe. 

And that’s when it happened. 

She didn't know how she had fallen asleep but when she woke up, there wasn't any sound around her but a soft breathing. 

When she sat up straight, she noticed that the room was still in the dark and a little look at her surroundings made her remember that she's been at Luke’s. She then realised that a few seconds ago she had been sleeping on Luke’s shoulder. The heat went straight to her cheeks but she relaxed when she noticed he was still asleep. His arms were folded on his torso and when she saw his head looking down, she knew he would have a stiff neck when he woke up. 

And that’s when it happened. 

Here, in the quiet of the room, in the middle of the night, two days after moving out: she realised she had a crush on the blonde boy sleeping on the couch.

She couldn’t help but stare at him and her tired brain only managed to say one thing over and over again: _ he is so beautiful. _

Luke woke up a few minutes later while she was walking around the house and stopped to look at some pictures. She had held back a laugh when she saw a picture which was most probably taken on the band’s first days and never before could she have imagined they had such baby faces.

“Making fun of us, I see.”

She was surprised by Luke’s voice and jumped a little before feeling the familiar heat on her cheeks as the thought she'd had a few minutes ago came back suddenly. He was even more beautiful with his hair all over the place and she couldn’t help but look at his throat when he stretched his head back, his right hand reaching for his neck.

“Stiff neck, uh?” She asked and let out a smile when he slowly groaned.

“Yeah, definitely never sleeping on that couch again.”

They shared a laugh and Luke had stayed awake despite his tiredness just so she wouldn’t be alone. He knew more than anything that the jet lag was a pain in this ass and so he just listened to her talking about all the things that she was excited about and he couldn’t help but smile at her happiness that spread in the room like wildfires.

When she saw Luke fighting through his sleepiness just to stay with her, just to listen to her, she fell a little more for the boy. 

And that's how they had spent their first time being close to each other.

Just the two of them.

🌟🌟 

When Luke wakes up, he is still dressed in his outfit from the day before. He remembers the day they all spent in New York for a charity in favour of orphans before taking the plane back to Los Angeles because they have to attend the Teen's Choices Award tonight. 

That's probably the thing he hates most in his life. They never have the time to enjoy being in a city or another, the next day they already are somewhere else. He loved to travel, always has but lately it felt too much. They don't even feel jet lagged because they are always back to their places in Los Angeles before it can hit them. 

He rubs his eyes and sees his brown notebook next to him on the bed. 

The quiet evening from the day before comes back to him as a flash and he can't help but hit himself with the palm of his hand on the forehead for how stupid he has been. He should have talked to Lily. He never should have left her like this in the kitchen. 

He feels like a coward, and this, added to the lack of sleep and the venue they have to attend in the evening, almost gives him a headache. 

And he just woke up. 

He doesn't dare to look at his notebook. He remembers everything he wrote anyway. He groans and puts an elbow over his eyes but, soon enough, his lips turn into a small smile.

No matter how bad he feels about leaving Lily alone, he kissed  _ her _ . And right now, just for a mere second, he wants to appreciate it. He wants to remember the look in her eyes and the way she nodded, almost imperceptible to the human eye before he finally got a taste of her.

Reality hits back again and his heart races as he reads the things that came up to him the night before. 

The words were all mixed up in his brain but, somehow, those words became a song telling the story,  _ their  _ story, from the day they first met up until now and all the feelings happening with every moment they’ve shared together. As cliché as it may sound, he remembers the first time he saw her as if it was yesterday - when it actually happened months ago, five months ago exactly.

The boys were back to their hometown for two weeks and being back in Australia after all this time on the road felt like a relief for all of them. At last, they weren't 5 Seconds of Summer but just Ahston, Michael, Luke and Calum, four boys, four friends who needed, so desperately, to see their families again.

"See you in ten days, dickheads." Michael had said before they all laughed and left for their respective homes. 

Luke took a taxi from the airport and wasn’t surprised when nobody was here when he got home. His brothers had said they would only be here for the weekend and while his dad was off to work, his mom often went out for long walks with some friends of hers. 

He smiled a little, happy and relieved to be at home after all this time. 

He knew he had changed after a little more than a year on the road but as soon as he saw his room and his old posters on the wall it felt like he was a teenager again, nothing had changed. 

Whenever he was home, it was only for a few days or so and he never had the time to change anything in his room. So, since 5 Seconds of Summer had become a real serious thing, everything had stayed the same in his, now old, teenager’s room. 

He wasn't jet lagged yet and nobody was here for now so he put his luggage on his bed - he knew his mom had changed the sheets, she always did whenever he was coming home - and he started to remove some things from his walls and put the childish stuff in some part of his closet. 

He couldn't help but feel a little bit of nostalgia as he was removing some posters, but smiled anyway when he realised how much had happened in the last few years.

Sometimes it went so fast that he wondered where all the days and weeks might have gone. Those ten days back home could only mean two things : some rest and a lot of family time.

It took him two hours to obtain the results he wanted and as he put his last shirt out of his luggage and into the closet.

He heard the door being open and close before the sweet sound of her mom's voice called his name, echoing through the house. 

For a minute he felt like a kid again. He almost ran down the stairs, looked for his mom and hugged her as soon as he saw her, before feeling hands being wrapped around his back.

"I missed you." She had almost whispered.

"I missed you too, mom."

They stayed like this for a few seconds and then, like every mom who spends so much time away from their sons, she put both her hands on both his shoulders and said:

"Let me take a look at you."

Luke couldn't help but smile in this moment. She did it everytime. And just like every time he reassured her.

"I'm ok, mom." And she kissed him on the forehead. 

"I wanted to make tea but you're probably tired, aren't you?"

"Actually, I would love a tea."

"Alright, two cups of tea then." She had said with a big smile and almost tears in her eyes.

"Thank you mom, you're the best." And Luke kissed her again before going out in the garden, appreciating the flowers and the distant sound of the city at the end of March. 

A minute later her mom was back with the tea and they spent the rest of the day catching up on everything. 

Two days later, his brothers were here and after a good manly tap on the shoulder they introduced their respective girlfriends to their little brother and Luke couldn't believe he had been away for so long. 

Jet lag was long gone but after such a big weekend he felt just as tired as when he arrived.

He didn't wait ten days before seeing the three other "dickheads'' because they all were missing each other already. 

One week after their plane had landed they agreed to meet at an old football field where they were sure to be left alone. They were laughing at the way each parent had reacted and before they knew it, the sun was setting. 

Before they departed they agreed to spend the next day in the city to see how much had changed and Ashton asked them if it'd be a bother if he brought someone with them. He then explained to his best friends that new neighbours had moved in on the day he came back and that he promised to their daughter - who was about their age - that he would make her visit the city. They all told him it was a nice gesture and said each other good night.

The next day, two days before they left for Los Angeles, they all met at the football field again and waited for Ashton to pick them up with his car. They didn’t wait too long and as soon as they sat in the car, Michael, Luke and Calum were introduced to Lily. 

It was obvious she was nervous and Luke understood that. She was next to Ashton, on the passenger seat and the both of them made most of the conversation on the ride to the city. Luke couldn’t see her entirely but he had noticed something in Lily’s voice that felt so different from any other voice he had heard before. 

From the conversation she was having with Ashton, he figured that his friend must have told her that they were in a band and, most of the time, living in L.A. He figured out that her parents just got divorced by the way she was always correcting herself from using the present tense every time she was talking about them. He never saw pain on her face though and when the day ended all he was able to think of was her happiness and how beautiful her smile was. 

He didn’t know if being in his hometown for the first time in a while was making him feel this way but he definitely reacted like a teenager again. 

During this day in the city all the boys chose one place they loved so that they could show it to Lily. She was the one who insisted so that “I can know you a little better,” she had said. 

For Ashton it was a little record shop, the only shop in a street full of appartements and Ashton was so happy to see that it was still open that they spent two hours in it. 

In the end, everyone bought at least one thing.

Then came Calum’s turn and it led them through a comic book shop with lots of figurines and any other derivative products of brands they all knew so well. All the boys were kind of surprised when Lily told them how much she loved the world of superheroes. 

She laughed at the look on their faces when they realised that and Luke thought it was one of the most beautiful - if not  _ the _ most beautiful - laugh he had ever heard. 

Michael took no time in telling her that they made a music video revolving around superheroes and managed to show it to her despite Calum and Luke’s disapproval. Luke couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed of their old works and he almost hid his face so as to not see the girl’s reaction. Through the whole video though, Lily smiled and, in the end she had told them they did a good job, that it was nice to pay tribute to their own heroes in the way they did. 

“Not everyone can show how much they love things as you can through your music and videos. It’s really nice that you did this and I really wished I could have seen it before.” She had added before they went out of the store. 

At this moment, Luke knew he had a crush on the girl he only met a few hours ago. 

Then, a part of him told him that it wouldn’t last, that he shouldn’t get too attached to her because in two days he would be back to L.A., back to his life the way it used to be and he would probably never see her again. 

Another part of him, the hopefull part of him, told him that not only was she beautiful, but that she had a nice smile, a lighthearted laugh and she was also kindhearted. 

He came back to his senses soon enough though. 

Time to eat was already here and it was his turn to choose. They had to travel all across the other side of the city to find his favourite place to eat. When they sat and he saw how Lily was mesmerized by the view, his heart almost missed a beat. He had the exact same reaction as her when he first came in here. 

They had a view of the famous bridge with the opera right under. There was some traffic in front of the restaurant but it couldn’t take away the beauty of the view. They all took a pizza and two hours and some pictures later they were back on walking and discovering the city.

Almost an hour after they left the restaurant it was Michael’s turn to show her his favourite place. When they faced the building all the boys laughed and said “obviously” before laughing. 

Lily had a questioned look on her face and Calum had explained: “This is where Michael would live if he could. You’ll understand it very soon if we hang out together.” 

This.

This simple sentence brought hope in Luke’s mind and heart because the mere thought of seeing her again made him happy.

The five of them entered the dark place that they hadn’t seen for years now. 

The hours went by and they had almost played all the games they could in the arcade when Luke noticed that Lily was just like them. She loved playing games - and old games on top of that - superheroes too, she loved learning new things and spending time with people. It was very simple but it was enough.

While he watched her play, he wondered what she was thinking and how she felt about this whole day. 

He thought it must have been hard at first for her to be thrown into a group of boys who knew each other since high school but, surprisingly, she fitted in and when they went out of the arcades, the sun slowly setting, he was sure the whole band felt like they'd always known her. Well, he hoped so.

Luke's wishes were granted. They spent their next two days with Lily, guiding her through the city they knew so well and Luke could see the way her eyes were shining every time they were explaining something to her whether it was a funny anecdote about them or the history of a building, she was genuinely happy to learn about anything. 

Unfortunately, it was already the time for them to leave their beloved Sydney for L.A. again. Not that Luke hated L.A. but it would never be the same as Sydney and the incredible, unique feeling of safety and home that came with it. L.A. was too much related to work.

Lily went to the airport with them and even met some members of their families. She thanked the boys for the hundred times in the last three days and they promised each other they would stay in touch. They didn't know when they would see each other again but the simple fact of knowing they would stay in touch was enough for Luke to hope for more and be happy. Now that he’s spent three days with her it just felt like it was impossible for her to disappear from their - his - life.

🌟🌟

Lily decides to get up. She definitely can't stay in her bed all day. As dreadful as it is to think about how Luke would react when he’d see her, she has to get up. And she wants to leave the boys alone for the day so they can prepare themselves for their night at the TCA. On top of that, she almost hasn’t slept at all, daydreaming about old memories and wondering what would happen now that Luke and her have kissed. 

The boys were only in L.A. for a few days and for that short amount of time, they had decided to rent a little house so they could stay together. 

Now that she has been in L.A. for two months, Lily has acknowledged that they were doing this most of the time. One time when she asked Ashton why they were doing this when they all had their own place he had simply said: 

"We don't really know, it happened one day and we've been doing it since then."

"It's because he misses us too much." Calum had added as he had passed by and heard a bit of their conversation.

"That too." he laughed pointing at Calum. "And if we're being honest, they need a father figure too. I need to keep an eye on them."

"Hey, I heard that." Calum had shouted from across the room.

Lily and Ashton had burst out of laughter and she’d had her answer. 

But the more the days went by and the more she saw that they  _ needed _ to be together. For their creativity, for the writing sessions but mostly for the feeling of home. L.A. was a big city and if it weren't for them she knew she would have been sad to be so far away from her home country and her parents.

They were definitely making her life better. It was actually comfortable to know that if she has a problem or is just feeling home sick she’d just go see them and they would make her feel better. 

School is starting soon and she knows she will make some friends in L.A. on her first day in college but it won't be the same. They would be fun to hang out with and to talk about the teachers or any other gossip going around campus but, with the boys it will always be different. She realises she was lucky in the way that, since she’s moved to L.A., the boys weren't on tour but busy writing songs which ended up in them renting a house for some days. Sometimes, when she is feeling lonely, she just comes by and sits reading a book or gets some work done for the beginning of school while they are debating on what to keep or remove from songs. At first, she didn't want to intrude in their writing sessions but all the boys said they were okay with her being here and the simple fact of being in the same room as them was enough to make her feel better when she had a bad day.

Two months after her first day in the city, as the middle of August approached, things were going fast again for them. Yesterday they were in New York, tonight the TCA and then some promoting before going on tour for almost a year.

Of course, after all the months she spent with them, Lily caught up her delay and had the time to listen to their whole discography, most of it on the plane on her trip to L.A. actually. Obviously, she’s heard about them before, she was from Australia too after all, but she’s traveled a lot due to her parents' jobs before their divorce. From Indonesia to India and all across Asia and she felt like she didn't have the opportunity to listen to them before. Something she regrets now because she can't spend a day without listening to them anymore even if she was seeing them at least once a week.

Michael and Ashton seem to be the only ones awake and she welcomes them with a yawn she couldn't refrain.

"Rough night?"

"A little. Just insomnia being a bitch again." She answers as she shrugs.

"Tell me about it." Michael says before letting out a soft sighed. "I can't believe we have to attend the TCA tonight when we were in New York less than twenty-four hours ago."

"Seriously guys, I admire you." Lily starts. "Between the planes, the ‘look good for the cameras’ and the fans I don't know how you do it. I think I would have freaked out a long time ago."

"It's because we know we're not alone." Ashton answers and Michael nods. "We're always together and there's the whole crew with us most of the time and it's not really that hard when you're used to it."

"Still, you have my respect. Anyway, I'm going to grab something and let you prepare for the night. I actually have to check on campus before the first day which means," she thinks a little "three days from now so I better take a look around."

The two boys laugh at the way she isn't taking things too seriously when most would be so stressed out to not know their campus sooner, but that is exactly what they liked about her. The happiness and the natural reactions she always has to literally anything that happens to her.

When she enters the kitchen, Lily feels a shiver running on her arms at the sight of the strawberries still on the counter. She realises then that she doesn't want to see Luke.

Deep down she knows they have to talk, they have to sort things out and be clear on what they both want. But it was too much. Her heart is already beating hard in her chest by the simple sight of him or the thought of their kiss so she can't imagine how she would feel if he just appeared here. She refuses to take a strawberry and takes an apple instead, joins Ashton and Michael to say goodbye before taking her bag and she leaves the house as she hears footsteps coming down the stairs. 

She hoped it wasn't Luke.

🌟🌟

When Luke finally finds the strength to get up, all the boys are in front of the tv, talking softly. He says a 'hey' with his morning voice to which the boys answer without turning around before heading to the kitchen. He sighs at the sight of the strawberries and lets a hand run through his tangled hair. And then, it hits him.

"Where's Lily?" he asks, almost running back to the living room and making all the boys jump.

"She left a few minutes ago, what-"

But Luke doesn't hear the end of Ashton's question. 

With his clothes from the previous day still on him he runs to the front door and onto the pavement. He looks to his right, to his left but of course, she is long gone by now.  _ “ _ ‘ _ I’m so stupid,” _ he thinks while standing in the middle of the street with his suit. 

He can send her a message but what if she is mad at him and doesn't want to hear from him anymore? What if she left early on _ purpose _ ?

Should he go to her place? But they have a venue tonight so what should he do? 

The questions kept on coming, his head overthinking about the whole situation until, thankfully, he feels a hand on his shoulder bringing him back to the present. He then notices he was still wearing his suit from the previous day and he must look like a mess because when Ashton looks at him, he has questions in his eyes. Luke lets the older boy take him back into the house and into the kitchen.

He doesn't know where the two other boys are, but he is glad they aren't here. He didn't know if he could tell everyone about the  _ mistake  _ he made the night before and the friendship he probably ended.

"I think I messed up real big Ash..." Luke finally says.

"What happened?"

"I think I might have ruined our friendship with Lily." Luke wasn't able to look at his friend in the eyes because he knows how miserable his own eyes would be if someone saw them.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, man. It's Lily we're talking about. No matter what you've done, and I'm sure it can't be  _ that  _ bad, we're still her boys, right?"

"No, you don't understand, I messed up really bad." Luke's voice is a little shaky but he feels the anger slowly rising in his chest. He had been so stupid and he should be with her right now, explaining why he had done this and telling her he is sorry that he left her like he did.

"Come on, Luke, it can't be that-"

"I kissed her, Ash!" Luke suddenly exclaims before looking into his friend's eyes who seems to not have heard what he just said.

And then the older boy realises, something changes in his eyes and a smile spreads across his face.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" he asks his friend.

But Ashton doesn't answer because he starts laughing. Really hard. Luke arches an eyebrow, lost. What was so funny about this situation? He probably lost the most precious woman he has ever met and his best friend is  _ laughing _ ?

A few seconds later, Ashton finally calms down. Luke is too shocked to leave the kitchen and he wants to know why he laughed. He crosses his arms on his chest, right foot tapping nervously on the floor, waiting.

"You just -" Ashton starts before restraining a laugh and wiping a tear. "Oh man, you're worried about the friendship when it's  _ obvious  _ she has feelings for you." Another little laugh while Luke processes this.

"She  _ what _ ?"

"You're so oblivious sometimes Luke. Didn't you see how she blushes whenever you say her name?" Luke shakes his head no. Did she? “And that time at the hotel in Miami. When was this?” He thought for a second. “Oh, yeah! About a month after she moved to L.A. Remember? When we were all in the swimming pool?”

“What about it?” Ashton doesn’t answer immediately, he stares at him with wide-opened eyes.

“What about it? Well, you guys were “fighting””, he says air-quoting the last word, “and acted as if you were the only ones there.”

Luke remembers this day. He remembers the feelings he felt that day.

He was feeling lost in the morning, homesick, sad thoughts were invading him. And then, the swimming pool. Lily had dragged him out of his Miami hotel room to join her and the other boys at the swimming pool.

“Come on Luke, all the boys are already there, you can’t stay in your room all alone when it’s all sunny outside!”

He looked at her but was too tired to answer. He, indeed, wanted to spend the whole day on his own, doing nothing and thinking about nothing. Watching tv shows mostly.

“Not in the mood.” he simply said.

“Calum told me you'd say that. I'm not taking that. You’re going to put on some bathsuit and you’re going to come with me.”

“I don’t think so.” Luke answered while going back into his room. Lily followed him inside.

“Come on,” she insisted, “the view from the pool is amazing and it’s huge.”

He laid on his bed, looking at the ceiling, and sighed.

“At least, come lay down around the pool, you definitely need some sunlight.” Her voice lowered at the end and he looked at her with an arched eyebrow. She had  _ the _ look. The look he couldn’t resist. The look that melted his heart. The look he couldn’t say no to.

“I guess,” he half whispered.

“Really? That’s so cool, you won’t regret it ! I’m waiting for you by the door to let you change.”

She was so happy that he couldn’t help but smile a little.  _ “I suppose a bit of sunlight won’t hurt,” _ he shrugged before putting a short and joining Lily by the door. He was definitely not going to swim but he could lay down a little.

The boys were a little surprised to see that Lily had somehow managed to bring their friend to the swimming pool. Just a little though. It was obvious to the three of them that the youngest had a thing for the girl. He never told anyone but it could be seen on his face.

Lily, then, jumped into the water getting the three boys in the pool out of their daydream. They kept swimming for a bit while Luke stayed on a deckchair and actually fell asleep bathed by the warmth of the sun. 

But Lily didn't know that. Luke had his sunglasses and he just looked like he was laying under the sun. So while Michael, Ashton and Calum stayed in the water, she came near him and put water on his face with her hair.

"What the-" he almost screamed while jolting awake as he almost fell on the ground.

When he came back to his senses he only heard her laugh. He removed his glasses and, when he has always adored that laugh, today was just not the day.

"Why did you do that?" He knew he sounded harsh but he didn't even want to be there in the first place.

"Come on Luke, it's funny. I wish I could have seen your face behind your glasses," she said half laughing, holding her belly.

Luke got up, his grey shirt now black, and left without a word.

"Are you serious right now? Silent treatment, really?" 

His back was facing her but he could tell her arms were crossed on her chest. 

Right now, he hated himself more than the act Lily just did. He hated himself for not being in the right mood. He hated himself to be this angry for something so childish that would have made him smile and laugh on any other day. He hated being homesick. He hated himself for not being able to say to her how much he liked her.

He didn't turn around but seconds later fingers were wrapped around his right wrist.  _ Shivers _ . His  heart softened a little at the feeling of her little fingers on his wrist. He stopped but didn’t turn around, he didn’t want to fight. Even if it was Lily, he just wanted to be left alone until the anger was gone.

“Luke, I’m- I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were asleep.” He turned to look at her. He couldn’t look at her in the eyes though.

“Well you did what you did, didn’t you?” He knew his tone was harsh but, he didn’t want to be here in the first place, right?

“Yes.” She said arching an eyebrow and her hand left his wrist. “That’s why I’m saying I’m sorry.” It was half a question and her arms were crossed on her chest again.

“Yeah, whatever.” Luke said turning around so he could finally be alone.

“ _ What-ever? _ What is wrong with  _ you _ ?” She was starting to get angry and that made Luke even more angry.

“I don’t want to be here, I thought I told you.” He almost clenched his fist but thought better and threw his hands in his pockets.

“Well nothing stopping you, then right?” She was mad at him now.

“Yes you are.” He couldn’t help it.

“I-  _ I _ am the one stopping you?”

“Well you’re talking to me right now, aren’t you?”

“I just wanted to say sorry!”

“Well that’s done so leave me alone, maybe?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you Luke but you better get your shit together.”

“I would but you’re still talking.” She just huffed and rolled her eyes. “Can I go now?”

“Yeah. Whatever. Fine.”

“Fine.”

“Fine”. She repeated a little louder before going back to the deckchairs where the three other boys hadn’t missed a single bit of the conversation.

“Luke? You’re ok mate?” Ashton asks, bringing him back to the present day.

“Yeah, yeah, just thinking?”

“And?” The smirk on his best friend's face is obvious.

Now that Luke is thinking of it, the whole situation must have looked stupid to the eyes of others. They had a fight on something that was so candid, only because he wasn’t having it. Just because he wasn’t in the mood.  _ Like a couple fighting _ .

He suddenly raises his head, looking directly into his best friend’s brown eyes as realisation hits him. Ashton can’t help but laugh and pat him on the shoulder.

“Finally.” He simply says when he is done laughing.

“But what do I do now? It-It’s too late to go back to her and I can't tell  _ this _ on the phone and I won’t be able to see her before tomorrow and-”

“Wow, chill Luke.”

“I can’t just  _ chill _ Ash. I  _ kissed _ her and now she’s probably mad at me.”

“First of all no she’s not and second of all, like I said, it’s Lily we’re talking about. She’s not the overthinker that you are. She’ll be fine for today. You can go see her tomorrow morning.”

“But-”

“No ‘buts’. We have things to do and it can wait for tomorrow. I promise you she’ll be fine.”

“You think so?” Luke says, sitting down and coming back to a normal breathing.

“I’m sure of it.”

Luke is a little better at this thought. Ashton is right. 

🌟🌟

Lily has spent the whole day on campus and at the minute she stepped into it she just knew she belonged here. She met the head of the World Arts Culture department for real this time and that’s when she realised that everything was really happening.

The first time she saw her, it was over her computer, in her little Sydney’s room, in her dad’s new little place. Now she was in front of her, the woman was guiding her around campus.

Alice, the headmistress, wasn’t so much older than her and Lily felt like she could have been good friends with her. The woman was taller than her - mostly because of her heels - and she immediately let Lily know that whenever she would feel lost she could come to her.

Lily almost couldn’t believe her own luck. 

The campus was so big and she couldn’t help but imagine how it would be when thousands of students would walk all around. She even saw some of them while she was talking with Alice and some of them even stopped by to have a chat with the headmistress.

They were older students and Lily felt so little next to them because she was still new in all of this, it was impressive to say the least and, when Alice introduced her she felt her cheeks blush but managed to give a “hello” to the three students before they thanked Alice and continued their walk.

After an hour and a half of a guided visit, Alice said goodbye to the soon student that Lily was going to be and told her she would see her in a couple of days when the first day starts.

Lily thanked her and took a sandwich to eat while wandering in the campus for another two hours, taking time to read every inscription she could see, taking it all in, hoping she wouldn’t feel too lost when classes start.

It’s 6 p.m. when she realises she has to do some grocery shopping if she wants to survive until tomorrow. This day on the campus was tiring because she had a million thoughts and questions at the same time; something she was definitely not used to. Not like Luke.

_ Luke _ .

A flush spreads over her face and she almost stops walking in the middle of the bread section when the thought hits her.

She remains on walking while looking around as a little smile spreads across her face.

Luke and her have kissed. She can’t believe how she could forget about it.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, her lips were on Luke’s.

When she reaches the breakfast section, she refrains from laughing as her hands take a Cheerios box and, she knew at this time that Luke would never leave her head. No matter what she was doing something would remind her of him, of something he said, something he did.

If a simple box of Cheerios was enough to make her laugh then, she was more into him than she thought she was.

She was at the boys house when, one morning, Luke and her being the only ones awake, decided to go to the grocery store down the road. The streets were empty at this time and it was easy to feel like they were the only one in the city. The boys had just come back from a week in Australia and they had to fill the fridge all over again. Lily had welcomed them back with pizza the night before but they couldn’t feed on this all the time.

“Aah that’s what I hate the most when we come back.  _ Groceries. _ ” he had said while stretching. “I feel like it’s the only thing we do every time.”

Lily stayed silent and nodded, still feeling a little sleepy as they entered the shop. The cashier, Dan, who was about thirty, knew them well. Lily most of all because even when the boys were not here, she would come to this shop. It felt familiar by now. She laughed to herself, two months in L.A. and it already is home.

They both said hello to the brown guy with his red baseball cap that never seemed to leave him. No matter the weather, no matter the season.

They were both talking quietly, there were less than five people - including them - in the shop but, suddenly a laugh erupted from Luke’s throat.

Despite her embarrassment and her red cheeks, Lily's heart stopped at the sound of his beautiful laugh.

Dan immediately came to them and couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Lily sitting on the floor covered in Cheerios. Luke helped her to get up, taking her hand but still laughing as Dan came closer and became serious.

“I’m so sorry Lily, this shouldn’t have happened.”

“Don’t worry Dan,” she said while removing Cheerios from her hood. “I’m fine. Just a little surprised. Do you have a broom or anything?” she asked pointing at the mess on the floor.

“I’ll do it, don’t worry. This box shouldn’t have been opened anyway, so it’s on me.”

“Thanks Dan you’re the best.”

“Thanks man.” Luke added before the said man went to the store room to fetch a broom.

“Told you you should have taken Lucky Charms.”

“But Cheerios are  _ way _ better than Lucky Charms.”

“If you say so,” Luke said as he shrugged. “Wait you’ve got-”

He stepped closer to her and, a little surprised, she stepped back too and her back hit the shelf behind her when Luke raised his right arm to her hair. She could feel his breath on her forehead and she melted inside.

She almost had to bring her hands to grab the shelf because she felt her knees were about to fail her. First, his laugh, his hand in hers and then, his voice, his look,  _ him _ . It was everything.

“Got it.” He said, taking a step back to show her the Cheerio that had been stuck in her hair.

Dan came back with a broom and a bin so Luke went to him to throw the Cheerio away while Lily was still trying to process what had just  _ happened _ .

“You okay?” Luke asked her, arching an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Yes of course,” she said while standing straight. “Thank you again Dan.” She added to change the conversation and think about something else than  _ Luke _ being so close to her.

“No problems, ‘ts my job.” He said while bending down to take and throw all the Cheerios away.

“Hey, Dan, how are you?”

“Same as always. How about you Lily? The boys are not with you?” He asked while scanning the items.

“Nope. Not this time. They are going to the Teen’s Choice Awards tonight.”

“Oh yeah right! You’re going too?”

“No,” she says a little frustrated. “Classes start in two days and I’ve spent the whole day on campus so it’s gonna be some alone time for tonight.”

“You’re not too stressed out?”

“Surprisingly no,” she says honestly. “Now that I know how it all looks, I’m just excited to start.”

“Well, I wish good luck then! Tell me, you’re not doing the groceries for the boys I hope?”

“No, don’t worry Dan, they’re big boys, they can take care of themselves.” She says as they both laugh.

“Have a good alone time night and get some rest too, you look a little tired.”

“Yeah, long day, short night but I’m gonna make it right. Thanks for everything.” She says as she leaves with bags in her hands.

“See ya.”

As soon as she closes her door she lets out a breath and it seems like the walk to her kitchen is harder than the two sets of stairs she just walked. Once she’s cleaned everything in her cupboards, she starts cooking and switches the TV on. It immediately shows her the beginning of the ceremony.

She is cutting some vegetables when she starts staring at her phone.  _ He didn't call her _ . He had the whole day to do it and he just didn’t. “ _ What does that mean? _ ” She asks herself. Does he have regrets? Is he never talking to her again? But what about everything? Did he tell the boys? What did they say?

It isn’t in her habits to ask so many questions at a time. She puts her two hands on the kitchen counter, takes a deep breath and remains on cutting the vegetables. She has to be reasonable. Maybe, if he told the boys, Michael might have said that she has a thing for Luke and so things would be alright.

Truth be told, Lily knew Luke, and she knew he probably freaked out when he woke up this morning. “ _ If he ever slept at all,”  _ she thinks to herself.

A little smile plays on her lips as she finishes her recipe and the music starts.

She eats in silence, accompanied by the different songs.

When 5 Seconds of Summer finally performs her smile grows as wide as it can and she can’t help but be happy for them. And proud. She is also relieved by the fact that Luke seems more than ok and doing his best performance.

They will be  _ alright _ .

🌟🌟

The second they step away from the stage, everything comes back to him. He  _ needs _ to see her. He needs to tell her everything. Right now. The endorphins he feels after each performance makes him want to realise the impossible. Like he could run to her place even if it’s on the other side of the city. The overthinking is gone and he  _ knows _ what to do. That’s what he loved about his life. That’s what he loved about singing. The overthinking was gone.

Unfortunately, like Ashton told him, he would have to wait until tomorrow morning.

One hour later, they receive their award and Luke hopes that she is watching them right now. That she isn’t mad at him for not talking to her. He wants to do it right. He knows she is patient. With this new state of mind, the after party is a little less longer than he expected it to be.

Some time later though, after a few drinks, he almost  _ called  _ her, but Ashton came right on time; just before he could press the ‘call’ button. Ashton then kept his phone “just in case”.

It’s almost three in the morning when they are back in the house. They all go straight to their rooms promising they won’t wake up before midday.

Luke tries not to think of the things he could say to Lily when he’ll see her in a few hours but it’s harder than he thought. What was he supposed to say to her if he doesn’t know how she is feeling. No matter what Ashton said to him he is just scared she won’t talk to him anymore.That he ruined everything. That there will be a weird tension now, everytime they see each other.

The alcohol and the tiredness makes him feel dizzy and he falls into a state between sleeping and daydreaming.

They were coming back to L.A. A few hours later, even though he doesn’t know it yet, Luke will be kissing Lily. For now, the most beautiful woman he has ever met was breathing right next to him. He rubbed his eyes, he didn’t want to fall asleep yet. He knew himself too well. If he falls asleep now, he won’t be able to sleep once in his bed. Despite the long last twelve hours they spend he fights. 

To keep his mind away from falling asleep, he looked at his watch. “ _ One hour remaining _ ”. He sighed and stretched his leg before looking at the girl next to him one more time. The sight was unbelievable to him. He even wondered if he was not dreaming. She looked just like an  _ angel _ . When he looks at her, everything else fades. No doubts, no second-guessing, no fear, nothing. Just her. He let his head rest on his hand while closing his eyes for a second, etching the sweet moment into his memory.

“What’s that smile on your face?” He heard her say, a bear whisper.

“Hum?” He answered, opening one eye to look at her.

“You have that goofy smile on your face.” She stretched her legs and grimaced a little as she sat in a more normal position. She had been asleep for the last three hours and Luke knew, oh so well, how uncomfortable the planes were.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said, smiling nonetheless at her cuteness.

“Yeah whatever. How much time?” She asked looking out the window. Luke followed her look. They were still above the clouds.

“An hour.”

“Arrf,” she sighed. “Well, goodnight then.”

And before Luke could realise and let out a laugh, the most handsome girl in the world, rested her head on his shoulder. His heart skipped a beat but she didn’t seem to realise because less than a minute later, her breath was back to a regular pace. After being frozen for two minutes, Luke finally started to breathe normally again and, the “goofy” smile was back on his face, his tiredness was gone and his overthinking was on pause so he let his head rest on hers, looking at the blue sky over the clouds.

Luke jolts awake. This is it. He has to go. He has to tell her. He washes his face, puts on some decent clothes and almost falls in the stairs as he was still wearing his socks.

At the end of the staircase, he stops for a second, taking a deep breath. He slowly puts his shoes and leaves immediately.

It’s only then that he realises it’s just  _ dawn _ .

Everything is quiet except for birds and early runners from down the streets. He stops for another second before looking at his watch.

5:30 a.m. How can he feel  _ that _ way at such an early hour? That means he’s only slept for two hours - to say the most. But he doesn’t care.

After a twenty-minute walk he is facing her building. The confidence that drove him all the way to this started to fade away. “ _ No,” _ he thought to himself. “ _ Not now. _ ” He clenches his fist, giving him courage like he is some kind of kid that needs motivation to climb a tree. He reaches for his phone to tell her he is here, only to find out that he left it in his room.  _ “Shit.” _

He takes a few steps back and forth until he presses the intercom. The waiting is killing him and he just hops up and down with impatience.

At this point he doesn’t care if someone sees him or not. His mind is only focused on Lily. He is so focused on it that he almost doesn’t hear the low, sleepy raspy voice over the intercom.

“Who’s this?”

Luke takes in mind that it’s still very early and that if she’s watched them yesterday then, she must have gone to bed late at night.

“Hello?”

He doesn’t know what to say. What if she is mad? What if she doesn’t open the door?

“It’s me,” he says suddenly before she could leave. “I… I.”

He is cut by the electronic sound that means the door is open.

She didn’t say anything. But at least she wasn’t screaming at him. Was it worse?

He takes the stairs two at a time and is almost breathless when he reaches her door. The door is open.

He straightens his back, takes an umpteenth deep breath and pushes the door slowly open.

He closes the door behind him and just stands there waiting. He’s been there before but not in this kind of situation. As if, suddenly, he was intruding in her privacy. 

“You can come to the kitchen, you know.” He almost jumps out of fear. The room was so quiet it almost felt like he was alone in the little flat. “I’m making tea.”

He slowly walks to the said kitchen and her back is facing him. It’s the first time he is this close to her after the  _ kiss _ . He steps closer and only the small kitchen counter is between them.

“So…” he starts after clearing his throat and sits on the nearest stool.

“So…” she repeats before turning around. “Oh my god Luke have you seen your face?”

The tension he was probably the only one imagining is suddenly gone when he looks at her and her worried face.

“I-” he starts.

“Are you ok? I mean have you even slept at all?”

“Errm not really, actually.”

Silence falls into the room as he looks down and she pours the hot water in two cups. He dares to look at her and she is just as beautiful as always, even in her red pajamas, messy hair and a little brown blanket over her shoulder. He doesn’t mind having this sight for the rest of his life.

“You’re so beautiful,” he blurts out while taking the hot cup into his hands.

“I- errm thank you? I- well you, you look terrible but you’re not bad either.”

They both take a sip of the hot drink letting the tick-tock of the nearest clock fill the room.

“So, hum, Ashton told me some stuff yesterday and that made me think about some stuff that made me realise about some other stuff and I just-”

He is cut by Lily’s little laugh. That unique laugh only she can do. More than a smile, a little less than a giggle. Just this soft little laugh.

He looks at her. Her eyes are closed and his only wish is to keep everything the way it is right now. He doesn’t want to mess things up. But he is tired and “some stuff” needs to get out. 

“I love your laugh.” He blurts out once again.

She stops laughing at the second the words reach her and looks at him. “ _ Is this real? _ ”

The blonde boy with messy hair in front of her looks tired but  _ sincere _ . More than she ever saw him in the past. Should she say something? What can she say? She loves his laugh too but it’s the second time he surprises her in the span of a minute and she definitely wasn’t used to this. Luke always struggled with words. After the months they’ve spent together, it was obvious Luke was an overthinker and that million thoughts were coming in a second in his head. She never blamed him for this. How could she? She could only imagine how terrible he must feel and she’s learnt to give him the time to express his troubled thoughts.

“Truth is,” he says looking everywhere but her. “I’ve felt. No wait. The way I feel today. Towards you, I mean,” he risked a look at her eyes only to look into his cup again. “Is the same as I’ve always felt. And I don’t know why now, I don’t know why today- yesterday. Right now it feels like the same day to me,” he says a little lower and Lily dares a smile. “Maybe it’s because I’m tired, maybe it’s because we’re going on tour, maybe it’s because you’re going to college. Hell, how should I know? You know how my mind is, right?”

At the last word he looks at her and at the look on his face she knows he is afraid. She just nods and she can’t help but see his shoulders loosen a bit. She takes a sip. She wants to let him finish. She almost knows by now what this is all about. She also knows how hard it must be for him and, most of all, she knows that she has to let him finish. 

“ _ Thanks _ .” He takes a sip too. “I just- I hope you feel the same way because to me, that kiss, the kiss we  _ shared _ , was- I- truth be told, I have no words for it Lily.” 

Something changed. When he said her name something changed. In both of them. The usual heat wave she feels every time he says her name comes back and the blonde boy straightens his back and stands up next to the chair he was sitting on. Both his hands run through his tangled hair and he looks at her. And at this moment she knows. She just  _ knows _ .

He never leaves her eyes as he comes closer. Every step brings him closer to her until they are as close as when they were about to kiss the first time.

Luke takes Lily’s left hand with his right to guide her onto laying her cup on the counter. Never leaving each other’s eyes, his left hand takes the cup and Lily feels like her heart is about to stop. Luke changed. He is still tired, his eyes are a little red but he has confidence.

Luke feels Lily’s etchy breath on his ear as his left arm goes over hers to put the cup on the counter. Everything is silent if not for their beating hearts that seem to fill the little room.

His left hand finds his right under Lily’s and, with both his thumb, he caresses the inside of her left hand.

As he looks at their hands, Lily is faced with his curly hair, a little wet, she notices, probably from the shower he took when he got back from the TCA and, as she closes her eyes to take in his shampoo scent, her right hand has to grip the sink because her knees are failing her again. When she opens her eyes, Luke is bent down a little more and a second later his lips reach her hands. She can’t help but bite her lips. Never before has anyone done such a soft and gentle gesture to her.

She is nothing when Luke is so close to her. It’s almost dangerous the impact he has on her.

He looks back at her but, never leaving her hand, he brings it onto his right cheek and leans into the touch. Lily’s right hand leaves the kitchen sink to touch Luke’s other cheek and slowly, Luke’s hands leave her. He closes his eyes as Lily starts to rub his cheeks with her thumbs. A sigh of contentment escapes his lips and she knows in this instant that he has just let go of everything.

He  _ knows _ .

She smiles fondly at the sight and all she wants to do is to reassure the fragile boy in front of her. With his eyes still closed, he steps closer and lets his head rest on her right shoulder while his arms wrap her in a hug. The blanket falls on the ground but she couldn't care less. Luke is all that matters.  _ They _ are all that matters right now. 

The pressure intensifies a bit as she caresses the back of his head.

"This is nice." She whispers and Luke hums.

The both of them could stay like this forever. No words were needed anymore. Not when they understood each other so much.

The pressure loosens when the tea grows cold and Luke's head remains a little bent down when they are facing each other again.

"Are you ok Luke?"

"I-Yes i think so. Just tired I guess."

"Maybe you should come and take some rest." She says while taking his hand to guide him to the bed.

"Wait I-" she stops and turns around. He looks at her with his intense blue eyes. "Can I kiss you first?"

She is facing him fully and almost can't believe the words that left his mouth.

"I, uh, yes. Yes of course."

She comes closer and he leaves her hand to cup her face in both his hands before smiles disappear behind closed eyes and the two mouths become one. It's different this time but as thrilling. The heat wave becomes boiling water inside Lily and no other thoughts but the feeling of their soft lips touching fills Luke's mind.

Lily reaches for Luke's shirt, grasping it as a way to bring him closer to her. 

They had both been daydreaming about doing this for the past twenty-four hours, reliving all the little moments they had shared in the past, when they were close but never close enough.

They both smile as they look at each other and Lily guides him to the bedroom. He stays fully clothed and only removes his shoes before crawling under the covers, yawning. Lily can't help but smile at this and once he brings his knees to his chest, she crawls under the cover and faces his back. With her left hand she caresses his hair and he turns his head to look at her, his eyes are already half closed.

"We're ok then?"

"We're more than ok Luke."

"Good." He sighs. "I love you Lily."

Even though she kind of knew it, she was more than surprised to hear the words coming out of the sleepy boy next to her.

"I love you too Luke." She whispers back before planting a kiss on his jaw.

Her left hand reaches Luke's close to his heart and less than a minute after they've intertwined they're fingers Luke falls asleep and the church from around the corner strikes 6:30 when Lily closes her eyes wrapping the man she loves in her arms.


End file.
